And then it became wildly apparent. As I was swinging at 60 mph through the dense high-rises of Midtown Manhattan, I realized that -- Yes! -- Treyarch (developers of Spider-Man 3the game) have commendably captured the pulse of Spidey`s web-slinging locomotion. It`s a tireless ballet of concentric and eccentric muscle contractions, vaulting aerial somersaults, and spectacular leaps of vertical amplitude. Yet as the ten (count `em: ten) different storylines proved memorable enough in variety, a mindless Tarzan-swing through New York`s urban jungle was really the only thing that tapped into my gaming pleasure centers. Learning the nuances attached to Spidey`s mobile ebb and flow was a game unto itself; mastering his agile dynamic was a secretly rewarding measure of progress.

Venom, Sandman, and the New Goblin aren`t the toughest adversaries Spidey runs into, however. The top three enemies of the state are (in no particular order): comic-book slow Frame Rates, rusty Technical Issues, and underpaid Camera Angles. Although this nefarious trio never shows up in the movie, it makes dastardly appearances all throughout the video game.

Even on the lowest detail and resolution settings, it`s impossible to push the frames to an acceptable, high-flying level. And while Spidey himself is modeled with a master`s tools, the remainder of the Big Apple, from its skyscrapers to its sewers, is unremarkable save for the sheer acreage covered. But standing atop (or swinging along) any one of Manhattan`s iconic locales certainly pays dividends; the Brooklyn Bridge, Flatiron Building, Times Square, Central Park, and many more landmarks are mainstay players in the endless roster of stately destinations. And your first scaling of the tallest constructions will provide some in-game rewards and out-of-game awe inspiring moments, no doubt. The choppy gameplay, though, makes it apparent why the architecture looks like it was popped out of featureless, plastic molds; any amount of character drawn into them would likely yield even slower movement rates during your Empire State sightseeing tour.

The instanced storyline missions will often take you indoors, and judging from the claustrophobic camera, the director behind it is dying to get back outside. A near-object fade would solve a multitude of problems, but instead the view slides up and around -- or worse, behind -- objects and walls as if Tony Hawk was filming the action from a skateboard-cam. It`s a mess, and contributes to a lot of button-mashing and guesswork when it comes to engaging an elusive enemy. Throw in some visual pyrotechnics to fill up the full screen with splashy effects, and you might as well stick a fork in Spidey: he`s done.

Even so, all things being relative, this Spider-Man shows ready improvement over its predecessor. The mission structure is straight forward and, as far as content is concerned, seems to be offering a wholehearted apology for Spider-Man 2`s incessant balloon-saving fiascos. (If there was ever a city in need of an across-the-board ban on helium, it was New York in 2004`s Spider-Man 2 game by Fizz Factor.)

Populating the streets are not only the movie villains, but a host of other baddies from Spider-Man`s past, to include the imaginatively-named Lizard, Scorpion, and Rhino (did somebody unleash the Brooklyn Zoo on Spidey`s hometown?) Also, several gangs rule the roost up and down the crime-ridd...